Eyeless Tenkara Hooks and Flies

I recently got from some Japanese tenkara hooks from Tenkarabum that feature no hook eye; instead you attach a length of cord, line or silk braid to the hook to create a loop so that you can attach your tippet. Intrigued by the concept and some pictures of really cool flies I found on Japanese sites, I decided to give it a try and tie some.

The below is sort of a "how-to" - or at least how I approached the tying process. As always, excuse the somewhat bad quality of the pictures, I am working with a simple point and shoot camera.

The Hooks - Gamakatsu Amago and Owner Yamame 

The Loop - I am using some white fly line backing that I had laying around

instead of just using white, I thought I would have fun with colors using a Sharpie

Gamakatsu Amago in size 7.5

first I tie a white base which will give the fly later some translucency when wet

next tie in the braid on one side of the hook...

...then tie down on the far side to create a loop

trim one tag short, the other longer, this will help creating a tapered body

tapered under body

now tie in Ultra Thread, silk or similar

select a feather, I am using Grouse

get rid of the fluff

tie the feather in, I typically do that on top of the hook and tip forward

trim tip

wind hackle, secure hackle stem with thread

tie-off thread, fly is finished

top view

voila

a hand-full of some eyeless sakasa kebaris

Have fund and thanks for stopping by.

Tight Lines, -K